Omen

This page is about the spell type. For the counter type, see Omen counter. For the Vodalian Emperor, see Omen.

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Omen
Spell Type
(Subtype for instant/sorcery spells)
Introduced	Tarkir: Dragonstorm
Last used	Tarkir: Dragonstorm
Scryfall Statistics
cards

Claim Territory Omen on Bloomvine Regent.

Omen is a spell type, a subtype seen on instants and sorceries, attached to permanent cards. A player may cast either the Omen or the permanent; if the Omen is cast, the card is shuffled into its owner's library upon resolution. Omen was introduced in Tarkir: Dragonstorm where it appears on wild dragon cards. Flavorfully, Omen spells give your opponents a glimpse of their doom to come.

Description

Omen is an instant or sorcery spell associated with a permanent, much like Adventure. They likewise appear on the lower left of the card. Omens have their own name, type line, mana cost, and rules text. The permanent's abilities are on the right side of its text box, with its name, mana cost, type line, and if applicable power/toughness, in their usual positions.

Similar to Adventure, a player can cast either side, but the creature is the main card and the Omen generally cannot be referenced to outside of the stack. If the Omen is countered or fizzled, it will go to the graveyard, as Adventures also do. The functional difference with Adventures is that when Omens resolve, the card is shuffled back into its owner's library on resolution rather than being exiled. This makes them closer to a modal or split card, but as befitting the mechanic's name, the creature is not entirely gone and the opponent may have to contend with it later on.

Omens provide players the freedom to include multiple large and expensive creatures in their deck without the usual costs to gameplay. The cheaper utility effect of an Omen means players are not stranded with cards they cannot cast in the early game, while in the late game they are able to cast multiple spells a turn for additional value. Specific to Tarkir: Dragonstorm, it gives players more Dragons to Behold. Maelstrom of the Spirit Dragon can help to cast Dragons and Omens.

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (July 25, 2025—Edge of Eternities)

Omen Card

Cards with a two-part card frame (one part of which is inset on the left) on a single card where the alternative characteristics include the Omen spell type. See rule 720, “Omen Cards.”

From the Comprehensive Rules (July 25, 2025—Edge of Eternities)

• 720. Omen Cards
  • 720.1. Omen cards have a two-part card frame, with a smaller frame inset within their text box.
  • 720.2. The text that appears in the inset frame on the left defines alternative characteristics that the object may have while it’s a spell. The card’s normal characteristics appear as usual, although with a smaller text box on the right.
    • 720.2a If an effect refers to a card, spell, or permanent that “has an Omen,” it refers to an object that has the alternative characteristics of an Omen spell, even if the object currently doesn’t use them.
    • 720.2b The existence and values of these alternative characteristics are part of the object’s copiable values.
    • 720.2c Although omen cards are printed with multiple sets of characteristics, each omen card is only one card. For example, a player who has drawn or discarded an omen card has drawn or discarded one card, not two.
  • 720.3. As a player casts an omen card, the player chooses whether they cast the card normally or as an Omen.
    • 720.3a When casting an omen card as an Omen, only the alternative characteristics are evaluated to see if it can be cast.
    • 720.3b While on the stack as an Omen, the spell has only its alternative characteristics.
    • 720.3c If an Omen spell is copied, the copy is also an Omen. It has the alternative characteristics of the spell and not the normal characteristics of the card that represents the Omen spell. Any rule or effect that refers to a spell cast as an Omen refers to the copy as well.
    • 720.3d As an Omen spell resolves, its controller shuffles it into its owner’s library instead of putting it into its owner’s graveyard as it resolves.
  • 720.4. In every zone except the stack, and while on the stack not as an Omen, an omen card has only its normal characteristics.
  • 720.5. If an effect instructs a player to choose a card name and the player wants to choose an omen card’s alternative name, the player may do so.

Rulings

• As a player casts an omen card, the player chooses whether they cast the card normally or as an Omen.
• An omen card is a creature card in every zone except the stack, as well as while on the stack if not cast as an Omen. Ignore its alternative characteristics in those cases. For example, while it's in your graveyard, Twinmaw Stormbrood is a white creature card whose mana value is 6. It can't be the target of the reflexive ability created by Kishla Trawlers's triggered ability ("…When you do, return target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.").
• When casting a spell as an Omen, use the alternative characteristics and ignore all of the card's normal characteristics. The spell's color, mana cost, mana value, and so on are determined by only those alternative characteristics. If the spell leaves the stack, it immediately resumes using its normal characteristics.
• If you cast an omen card as an Omen, use only its alternative characteristics to determine whether it's legal to cast that spell. For example, if you control Thundermane Dragon ("You may cast creature spells with power 4 or greater from the top of your library.") and Twinmaw Stormbrood is on top of your library, you can cast Twinmaw Stormbrood, but not Charring Bite.
• If a spell is cast as an Omen, its controller shuffles it into its owner's library instead of putting it into its owner's graveyard as it resolves.
• If an Omen spell has one or more targets and all of those targets are illegal when the spell tries to resolve, it won't resolve. None of its effects will happen, and it will be put into its owner's graveyard. It won't be shuffled into its owner's library.
• If an Omen spell is countered or an effect causes it to otherwise leave the stack, it won't be shuffled into its owner's library.
• If an Omen spell is copied, that copy is also an Omen and is shuffled into its owner's library as it resolves. Its owner still shuffles their library, but the copy ceases to exist as a state-based action.
• If an effect instructs you to choose a card name, you may choose the alternative Omen name. Consider only the alternative characteristics to determine whether that is an appropriate name to choose.
• Casting a card as an Omen isn't casting it for an alternative cost. Effects that allow you to cast a spell for an alternative cost or without paying its mana cost may allow you to apply those to the Omen.

Trivia

• During design, Omens started out as a keyword named "swoop".
• R&D tries to minimize shuffling at lower rarities. However, they consider Omens a good way to use the shuffling they allow.
• "Omen" is a word used occasionally over Magic's history, but of the cards that use it in the correct context, the only sorcery is Omen and the only instant is Omen of Fire. Neither hold the subtype.
• The test card land Tarkir Omenpath can add mana that can only be spent on Omens.

See also

• Adventure